this past week has included some pretty intense learning for me. I’ve been doing some training on a new system called SMOKE. it’s a very powerful film/video finishing program. wow that I’m freelancing again, I felt like it would be a good idea to add to my toolset. additionally, the new version of Final Cut Pro has encouraged me to learn other software.

many, Many, MANY people have lamented the new FCPX program. so I really don’t feel the need to go down that path. click HERE for an article written by Bob Sarles – the editor that introduced me to FCP in 2001.

in short, the new version of the program that I’ve been using the last 10 years has removed so many features that it has now been rendered unworkable for a film/video professional. maybe they will fix the program in the future? or maybe editors will migrate back to AVID, Premiere, or where ever else they started originally.

in honor of this mind-boggling decision by Apple, I present this video. enjoy =)

-Luke

the last couple weeks have been a pretty intense time for me. honestly it has been hard to maintain a creative focus…but luckily I have enough “procedural” type work to keep me busy.

for example, “Certified” is moments away from being done. all that remains is outputting the final picture and sound to tape. (woohoo!) so there is loads to do with festival submissions, dvd labels, emails, etc. “Updating Paige” needs music contracts filled out, color corrected material output to tape, and so on. I’m trying to plow through as much of that while I’m NOT feeling creative…so as I emerge from the funk I’ll be ready to rock.

having a diversity of projects and “to-do’s” is something that has really done wonders for my over-all productivity and sanity. I spend a TREMENDOUS amount of time waiting for feedback, elements, info, etc. from other people. if I was only working on one thing at a time – each time this happened my entire work would slam to a halt while I waited. it took a while, but finally I realized that this WASN’T going to change. you can’t force people to get back to you sooner…often I’m sure they wish they could respond sooner as well! so I adapted to be able to move quickly and efficiently between projects.

some of my projects need large blocks of time (creative writing, editing, brainstorming), some can be interrupted and restarted at a moments notice. for instance, while “waiting” yesterday I registered “Side Affects” with the WGA and update my webpage. then when responses did come I no longer had to worry about those small “to-do’s.”

endless discussion could be made about clients and collaboration and increasing productivity…but sometimes it’s nice to pull back and think about the bigger picture. this video really reminded me that it’s a beautiful and promising world. it inspired me to dream bigger.

-Luke

Sorry I missed last week. My laptop was in the shop…and my blog password was on it.

A lot has happened this last week, first off I’ve locked the edit on my short film “Certified!” I’ve also made good progress on a new feature screenplay and learned some cool new things in After Effects. But that’s not what I’m going to be writing about. Today I want to write about the film “Skyline.”

Last week Clovis and I went to the Arclight Pasadena to catch the film. Now we are both fans of sci-fi. The good, the bad, the cheesy…we can enjoy it all. But even we have a line. “Skyline” rode over that line like a bear in a tutu rides a unicycle. And the films makes about as much sense as that analogy.

***Spoiler Alert****You’ve been warned***

I almost don’t even know where to begin…well, I guess the beginning is as good a spot as any.

Most of the film takes place in a posh “LA” apartment. It’s the “Penthouse” although…there are multiple apartments on that floor? (I’m confused already) It’s owned by a sweet buff black dude who’s an artist? rapper? director? VFX company owner? The film doesn’t bother to make it clear…but it is clear that he’s cheating on his live in girlfriend with his almost live-in assistant.

In this apartment they have AUTOMATED CURTAINS.

The Curtains
A large, like really large, part of the film’s “plot” involves the curtains. Are they up? Are they down? What happens when they fall? The characters spend a TREMENDOUS amount of time adjusting them. And then talking about how bad it would be if the curtains FELL.

um…you guys know there’s at least TWO other rooms, right? Am I the only one that thinks maybe you should go in one of those?

Of course, when the curtains are functioning…the characters still need to know what’s going on outside. So they use a telescope.

The Telescope
Luckily for the other people in the room…and us…the telescope is hooked into the flatscreen TV!!! That way, we can see what the person looking into the scope sees, then we can all discuss it! Also lucky is that fact that the telescope operators are VERY good at following action – including SPEEDING JETS and MISSILES.

Oh, it’s also very lucky that even during a MASSIVE alien invasion the power grid is still functioning! Our national defenses might go down…but good ol’ LADWP – they keep cranking out the juice! This is important, cause if there was no power how would we see the Aliens through the telescope via the HDTV????

I know, maybe we could go to the roof…with a handgun and get a better look. Along the way, let’s get scared by a neighbor for NO REASON.

The Roof
The characters go up here to “see what’s happening.” Because apparently, at that time opening the drapes was not an option. While up there, they almost get attacked by an alien.

Then later, on at least one occasion they go BACK on the roof because…it’s safer? they want to escape? I have no idea. Their goal is to get off the building and to safety, which at one point they say is the Marina. So how would going to the roof help accomplish this? It seems going on the roof would limit your options of, well, um…going anywhere??? Am I right?

Of course, it does give you the option of having a JET bounce on the roof and fly over you. Because a 60 TON jet would really “bounce” as it crashed onto the top of a building. And if it DID bounce there would be no wind, fire, or debris that would hit the characters. None…

But somehow the characters manage to defeat an alien or two on the roof. And in the process, they realizes that “OMG, the aliens have HUMAN brains in them.”

The Brains
So basically, the movie is now like “The Matrix…but with brains.” Okay…that’s cool. I guess. The aliens need to harvest human brains. That’s creepy! So they come to Earth and start collecting EVERYONE so that they can harvest their brains.

Once inside the alien ship we get the big reveal…the Aliens actually run on HUMAN brains. The brains of humans become the brains of the aliens!!! They are using us against ourselves! Oh the humanity!!!! (get it? get it?)

So they take our brains use them and then poop the spent brains out before getting a new HUMAN brain…they uh…

“Wait, you said these are ALIENS right?”

Yeah, that’s right.

“Like, they came from OUTER SPACE?”

Yeah, they totally flew their big ass starships to Earth and starting invading…cause they need our brains!!!

“Um…so what did they run on before they got here?”

**cricket cricket**

Wait, what? The aliens need something that DOESN’T exist off of earth to run their entire species?

How the?…
but what did they?…
I mean, wouldn’t this have been a?…
owww…my brain hurts.
(see what I did there??)

Not only is the derivative, unimaginative, and hackneyed…it also DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.

But at least the aliens looked kind of cool…

-Luke

happy Comic-Con week to you! this will be my 4th year going…last year I felt like I was just hitting my stride with planning and execution of the convention. the only major change for this year… a closer hotel. all the better to facilitate afternoon iPhone recharging and naps. anyhoo, I’ll be talking about #SDCC next week.

this week, here are a couple of things I’ve seen on the interwebz

here’s a video where some nefarious characters battle with “cardboard” weapons… take a look.

I think this video is a perfect example of putting the cart before the horse. these guys have made a visually impressive video. they’ve taken a funny concept- “cardboard” weapons- and added in great vfx.

the different sorts of weapons and the escalating nature of the fight are great.

but story? characters? emotion? these are nowhere to be found.

visual effects should serve the story, not the other way around.

if they’d spent 30 seconds at the beginning developing the characters and setting up say, “a plot,” I’d want to watch this again…instead, I found myself losing focus during the 3.5 minutes. does it work as a visual effects demo? yes. does it work as a short film? no.

take a look at this Milk ad from Japan. it took has cool vfx and an interesting premise…but there is a STORY and we identify with one of the characters. caring about the characters makes it an ultimately more rewarding viewing experience.

-Luke

here’s the message:

Subject: Microsoft 7 Shorts Contest for $$$

My friend, [NAME REMOVED] told me about this contest. He works for [NAME REMOVED] and they are recruiting videographers to create extremely short (7 second!) videos about Microsoft Windows 7.

Here’s the deal:

They’re sending videographers a free copy of Windows 7. You then need to make up to seven different 7 second videos about one of the new W7 features. Each clip that gets accepted will earn $50 (so, if you submit a string of 7 short videos that are decent quality, you’d get $350 upfront). In addition, the 10 best videos they receive will each earn an additional $700 bonus (good odds, because they don’t expect that many entries), and ALL of the videos will have a chance of appearing in a national MSFT Windows 7 campaign.

Would you be interested? Anyone who wants more info should email [NAME REMOVED]

Good luck!

Seriously? $50???

Doritos…yes the snack maker DORITOS is giving away 5 MILLION DOLLARS. Check out this article in USA Today.

Wait, what am I saying, this is actually a GREAT opportunity for a director with real vision to show off unlimited creative potential and the awesomeness of Windows 7 AND make some serious loot in the process.

Now where did I leave my VHS-C camera?

-Luke